There was pandemonium on Thursday in the Igando area of Lagos State after members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria clashed.
No fewer than 12 people were reportedly injured during the fracas, which started around 7am.
Our correspondent gathered that the fight was as a result of a hike in the price of tickets for commercial motorcyclists in the area.
It was learnt that there had been a resolution between the two groups that the ticketing be suspended till a meeting on Friday (today) when the situation would be formally addressed.
However, one of the officials of the NURTW was said to have accosted some motorcyclists and demanded the payment of the new rate, which sparked outrage.
The officials of the RTEAN were said to have challenged the official, which led to a confrontation between the two groups.
A police source said the fracas shut down businesses in the community.
He said, “The fight started very early on Thursday and it is over a hike in ticket rate. The motorcyclists had complained that they were being unfairly charged and that they could not afford the fees.
“After the complaint, an agreement was reached that the ticketing be suspended until a meeting between the leadership of the two groups on Friday. However, somebody asked the riders to start paying the new fee and when the riders resisted, the fight began. No fewer than 12 people were injured during the fracas, but nobody died.”
It was learnt that the intervention of policemen from the Igando division and the Rapid Response Squad prevented the situation from escalating.
Efforts to reach leaders of the two groups were abortive as they could not be reached on their telephone lines.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, would be meeting the two groups to settle the crisis amicably.
She said, “The two groups were embroiled in a fracas in the early hours of today. The Igando division moved in to quell the crisis after which the state CP visited the area for an on-the-spot assessment. He has also directed the DPO to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators. He stated that the command would not tolerate any group of people hiding under the guise of unionism to cause a breach of peace in the state.”
